“How do you know she was at the tea house?” asked Mrs. Banning. “It seems to me that’s the first question.” “I met her there,” Farrington blurted. “I met her there by appointment!” “Then you admit, you villain,” began Banning, choking with rage, “that you lured my daughter, an innocent child, to a lonely tea house; that you saw her last night; and that now--now!--you know nothing of her whereabouts! This, sir, is----” “Oh, it’s really not so bad!” came in cheery tones from above. “It was I who lured Mr. Farrington to the tea house, and I did it because I knew he was a gentleman.” Farrington had seen her first--the much-sought Arabella--stealing down the stairway to the landing, where she paused and leaned over the railing, much at ease, to look at them. Her name was spoken in gasps, in whispers, and was thundered aloud only by Miss Collingwood. “This was my idea,” said Arabella quietly as they all turned toward her. “I’ve been hiding in the old cottage by the pond, right here on father’s place--with John and Mary, who’ve known me since I was a baby. This is my house party--a scheme to get you all together. I thought that maybe, if papa and mama really thought I was lost, and if papa and Mr. Coningsby and Mademoiselle Zaliska all met under the same roof, they might understand one another better--and me. “I telegraphed for Mr. Gadsby,” she laughed, “just to be sure the rest of you were kept in order! And I sent for Bishop Giddings because he’s an old friend, and I thought he might help to straighten things out.” She choked and the tears brightened her eyes as she stood gazing down at them. “You needn’t worry about me, Arabella,” said Coningsby; “for Zaliska and I were married by the Bishop at Corydon this morning.” This seemed to interest no one in particular, though Miss Collingwood sniffed contemptuously. Mrs. Banning had started toward Arabella, and at the same moment Senator Banning reached the stairway. Arabella tripped down three steps, then paused on tip-toe, with her hands outstretched, half-inviting, half-repelling them. She was dressed as at the tea house, but her youthfulness was lost for the moment in a grave wistfulness that touched Farrington deeply. “You can’t have me,” she cried to her father and mother, “unless we’re all going to be happy together again!” * * * * * Half an hour later Senator Banning and his wife, and Arabella, wreathed in smiles, emerged from the library and found the sheriff and his deputies gone; but the members of the original house party still lingered. “Before I leave,” said Gadsby, “I’d like to know just how Mr. Farrington got into the game. He refuses to tell how he came to see you at the tea house. I think we ought to know that.” “Oh,” said Arabella, clapping her hands, “that’s another part of the story. If Mr. Farrington doesn’t mind----” “Now that you’re found I don’t care what you tell,” Farrington declared.